Teams keep giving Chipper Jones gifts when he makes his last appearance in their ballpark. The gift in Milwaukee last night may have been the best one yet. As Carroll Rogers points out in the AJC, when asked at the All-Star break, Jones said he wanted bratwurst from the Brewers. They obliged:

Tom Haudricourt relayed word to the Brewers, who had Ryan Braun, former Brewers player and current special assistant Craig Counsell and the famed “Racing Sausages” present Jones with a gas grill and a year’s supply of Klement’s sausages before Wednesday’s series finale.

The Braves have road series remaining against the Marlins, the Phillies and the Pirates. Any guesses as to what they give him? The Phillies will probably do well. Not sure about the Pirates. I figure the Marlins will give him a gift card for gas or something because Loria goes all out.

I’m not a fan out there or anything, but I find that hard to believe. I don’t see Brewers jumping into the stands after a home run or riding kids’ bikes to practice. The Packers’ relationship with their fans is unmatched in any sport, in any town, period, IMO.

“Hey, here’s our gift: a shit load of sausage. Look out for our gift next year: high blood pressure.” A year’s worth of sausage. Really. If you tell me I have a year’s worth then I have 365 of them. I hope this is not the case. Even splitting that with his family would be a bit much.

Papelbon already presented Jones with a gift the other Sunday. What’s better than a walk-off homerun? We owe you nothing more!

That would be awesome, but Chipper doesn’t carry enough clout to get the Nationals to Let Teddy Win. A half dozen players led by Jayson Werth did everything in their power to get Teddy over the finish line at the end of the 2011 season and the Nats taught them their lesson.

First off they don’t have to give him anything. Secondly, if you read the article he said if Milwaukee were to give him a gift he wanted it to be some brats. His wish was granted. Not sure what’s so terrible about that.

Decisions as to gifts for great baseball players are like the making of sausage — it is best that the process is never witnessed. (a paraphrasing of a famous quote about the making of laws, (mis) attributed to Bismarck)

Tiffany looked at her screen from the comfort of her NBC Studio office, trying to figure out what Craig was up to now. Being Craig’s right hand certainly had perks at least. Nice office, Great Herman Miller chair. Flex hours. She wasn’t quite sure how Craig managed to obtain everything. Some days he seemed like an extra wheel, an eccentric cog that other colleagues tolerated for being great once. Other days it seemed like he ran the damn place. Today seemed to be the former.

“Shouldn’t we be focusing on HBT Extra right now Craig?” she said.

“In due time my Dear,” the voice in an empty screen replied. She sighed.

“What are you doing?”

“Every team has been honoring Chipper Jones with a gift. I can do no less. I will present Chipper with one as well”. With that, he appeared on the screen holding…?

“What’s that green thing?”, Tiffany asked squinting into her screen.

“Why, my Phillie Phanatic Rug. Chipper will need something cozy in front of his fireplace while eating some nice sausages from that grill the Brewers gave him”.

Maybe Milwaukee should start strategically giving this same gift to other players. This off-season they should send big cases of sausage to the best players from every division rival. If the Brewers need to take down San Fran late in the season? Sausages for Sandoval and Melky!